Ms. Barr advises financial institutions on transactions, such as mergers, acquisitions and conversions from mutual to stock form; regulatory, compliance and enforcement issues; the operation of payments networks; and the offering of all types of financial service and payment products. She conducts contract negotiations for product development, branding, licensing, automated clearinghouse, computer and processing systems, and network agreements. She regularly advises clients on the numerous federal and state laws affecting banking and consumer financial services and represents clients on federal and state legislative and regulatory matters before government agencies.

In 2010, Ms. Barr was the recipient of the Senator William Proxmire Lifetime Achievement Award. Given by the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers, the award is granted to a person who has made significant contributions in the field of consumer financial services. In 2005, Ms. Barr received the prestigious Jean Allard Glass Cutter Award from the American Bar Association Business Law Section, presented annually to an exceptional woman business lawyer who has made a significant contribution both to the profession and to the Section of Business Law.

Ms. Barr has been selected for inclusion in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, U.S. News-Best Lawyers and The Legal 500 U.S.

Prior to entering private practice, Ms. Barr was a senior attorney in the Division of Consumer and Community Affairs of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, where she worked on consumer credit, electronic funds transfer and consumer leasing matters.

Ms. Barr is a former Chair of the American Bar Association's Business Law Section and a member of its Council. She is also a delegate to the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association. She is the former Editor-in-Chief of The Business Lawyer, the Section's scholarly journal. Ms. Barr is the former chair of the ABA's Consumer Financial Services Committee. In addition, she is the former chair of the Financial Holding Company Subcommittee of the ABA's Banking Law Committee and the ABA's Consumer Financial Services Subcommittees on Deposit Accounts and Programs.

Ms. Barr is a Fellow and past President of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers. In addition, she is a member of the Board of Directors of the Electronic Funds Transfer Association and chair of the Consumer Bankers Association Lawyers Committee. Ms. Barr is also a member of the American Law Institute.

Ms. Barr is a frequent speaker on banking and consumer financial services issues for trade association and legal education seminars. She is the author of numerous articles on banking, consumer credit, EFTs and deposit account issues.